1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to: method of manufacturing an electroconductive member pattern such as an electrode or wiring to be arranged on an electron source substrate on which an electron-emitting device is arranged; and methods of producing an electron source and an image displaying apparatus each using the forming method for an electrode or wiring.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally known examples of a method of manufacturing an electroconductive member pattern such as an electrode or wiring on a substrate include:    (1) a method involving applying a paste containing an electroconductive material to a substrate by means of screen printing, and drying and baking the applied paste to form a pattern;    (2) a method based on transfer (offset printing);    (3) a method involving applying a solution containing a metal component to the entire surface of a substrate, drying and baking the applied solution to form a metal film, covering a predetermined region with a mask such as a photoresist, and etching the region not covered with the mask to form a pattern;    (4) a method involving adding a photosensitive material to a metal-containing paste, exposing a desired site to light, and performing development to form a pattern; and    (5) a method involving mixing a photosensitive resin with a fat-soluble metal organic compound to form an electrode pattern.
However, the method (1) is hardly applicable to the formation of a fine electrode pattern, and the method (2) is insufficient in the uniformity and reproducibility of a film thickness. In addition, the method (3) involves the use of a strong acid at the time of etching particularly in the case where an electrode pattern is composed of a noble metal such as platinum, so the method is hardly applicable to the formation of a fine pattern by reason of, for example, an attack to a resist and the corrosion of an insulating substrate. Furthermore, the method (4) requires explosion-proof equipment at the time of application, drying, or baking because the method involves the use of an organic solvent, and the method requires one to pay attention to the handling of a drug to be used. In addition, the method (4) has a large problem in terms of environmental load because the method involves the use of a large amount of chlorinated solvent also at the time of development. The method (5) requires one to waste a water-soluble metal compound in an unexposed portion in a developing step, thereby resulting in an increase in cost.
Meanwhile, the applicant of the present invention has proposed a method of forming a fine electrode pattern efficiently and at low cost, involving causing a photosensitive resin pattern to absorb the solution containing metal organic compounds to form an electrode pattern (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-31922).
However, the method described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-31922 involves the emergence of contamination in the solution containing a metal organic compound, so the time required for the pattern to absorb a metal component and the absorbed amount may be uneven.